LEYTON ORIENT’S blue-sky rather than green-pitch thinking has come up trumps again as football tackles the coronavirus crisis.
The League Two O’s are backing up their FIFA 20 competition for 128 European clubs with a JustGiving page to help fund EFL clubs, the MIND charity and a global fight against Covid-19.
Manchester City, Wolves and Feyenoord are among clubs showing interest in the “Ultimate QuaranTeam” computer football competition.
And now, after devising a way to keep clubs in friendly combat, Orient want to help clubs recover from having their revenue ripped away by all games being suspended until at least April 4.
Orient said in a statement: “Firstly, for vital funding for EFL clubs who are going to have massive financial struggles (as of course will many industries across the world) during this time of fixture postponement.
“With no matchday income for the foreseeable future football clubs are struggling and things will only get worse.
“If this cause can play a small way for clubs going during an unprecedented time, then it would be an amazing force for good. 75% of money raised will be given to the EFL within 28 days.
Fantastic opportunity for engaging content with football fans at this very difficult time… more importantly it’s a chance to raise funds for EFL clubs and two phenomenal causes.
O’s chief exec Danny Macklin
“Secondly, the remaining 25% will be split between for two very worthy causes.
“One is the EFL’s chosen charity ‘MIND’ (219830), and secondly in funding the all-important COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fundraiser by WHO (World Health Organisation).”
O’s media manager Luke Lambourne and assistant Dan Walker, who are both FIFA 20 fans, came up with the competition and fundrasing ideas.
And Orient chief executive Chief Executive Danny Macklin said: “This provides a fantastic opportunity to play a small part in providing some engaging content with football fans at this very difficult time.
“Furthermore and perhaps even more importantly it’s a chance to raise much needed funds for EFL clubs and two phenomenal causes.
“On behalf of Leyton Orient FC we want to thank everyone for their support and we very much wish everyone well.”
Meanwhile, the FIFA 20 event has snowballed well beyond the O’s expectations.
Lambourne said: “We thought 64 was achievable, but that maybe 128 would be too high to aim for. But after a short period of time we’d already hit 64 – so we extended it, and have seen clubs from all over the world get in touch. From Finns Harp to Feyenoord!
“It’s still early days, so it’s hard to know exactly where it will go! With everything around the coronavirus at the moment, it was important that we did something to plug the gap.
“Clubs are really going to struggle financially during this period, and so far, people have taken to it really well – so let’s see where we end up, and hopefully clubs can get a big boost from this.”
Orient say each club can choose either a player or fan to represent them.
But only teams already on FIFA 20 can enter – and they can only play as their own club.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
